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Newcomers DBPro Corner / A very new programer looking for direction

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claudio
21
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Joined: 1st Jun 2003
Location:
Posted: 17th Jun 2003 22:08
Hello to all

I am as new to programming as an infant to the world. I have been reading these forums for several weeks now, and have learned a lot. I have also decided on a logical progression to my learning, and I believe the best place to start game programming is within the "Falling Block" (Tetris) world. However, since I am so new to this language, I need direction on how I should get started on this project in DB.

Any insite on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance to all the kind and helpful souls in this forum.
John H
Retired Moderator
22
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Joined: 14th Oct 2002
Location: Burlington, VT
Posted: 17th Jun 2003 23:15
First ya wanna read your manual Its your golden library of knowledge. Every command in DB is in there, know them all (and how to use them) and you can code with the best Id read up on SPRITES as they are good 2D stuff. Check out the CODE SNIPPETS board and read the 20 Line Winner "2 Player Tetris" or something.

Good luck,

RPGamer

Current Project: Eternal Destiny
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Go to the Eternal Destiny Forum!
FiShFuN4eVeR
21
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Joined: 2nd Feb 2003
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 17th Jun 2003 23:57
Eyz,

When I was a totall newby (probebly still are ) I started with a little game pong I codes from others and I had a look at the one player pong code [b]) Then I started. Just take the headlines witch you see in every 2D game. Use sprites to make the blocks. Again, the manual is your friend

Here's my code of my first and only 2D game pong



If good programmer()=1 then print "Finaly I get to the top "
BatVink
Moderator
21
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Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 17th Jun 2003 23:59
If you want to get your head into the right way of thinking, work out what you need to make it all work. Then you can tackle it one step at a time. For example, these are all individual elements...

Intro Screen/Menu

Making blocks fall

Picking block shapes at random

Detecting when a block should stop

Monitoring filled/empty spaces

etc...

Thanks in advance.
All the Best,
StevieVee
Obear
22
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Joined: 13th Oct 2002
Location:
Posted: 18th Jun 2003 23:06 Edited at: 18th Jun 2003 23:12
If your totally new to programming i would follow a path like this one.

Ok, when learning to program, there is nothing worse than getting started on a simple little project and getting suck almost straight away and haveing trouble geting it solved. Its a sure fire way to get anoyed and give up.

Understand your limitations and start at the bottom.

Forget about makeing ANY kind of game for the the next fews weeks, download the tutorial file avalible at the top of this forums. It has some pretty simple programs and best of all, a compleat listing of all the key commands, how they should be used and what they do.

Read this though, dosent matter if you dont GET alot of it, just read it so its in your head.

Now gather up a few of the demo and full games that are out there and that come with DB, like that Ice game and the raceing game.

Open up the Dark basic sourse code for these games and print it out onto paper.

Now grab a large cup of coffee a packet of chocolate digestives and start a brand new project and begin typeing in the sourse code you printed out, line by line.

Yup i know, kinda poinless when its allready done for you? not in the slightest, the best way to learn is by DOING, as you type each line it will actually embed itself into your brain far better than just giving it a casual read. You will begin to make out patterns and see a little of just how a program is put together.

When its done, save it all into a file and include all the bitmaps and modles form the game too. run it and it should work. You will see just how all that code translates into a game.

Now do this with as many prograsm as you can, and belive me, you will be supprised just how much of it starts to make a little sence after a while.

Next up, when your feeling like you have a firm grip of the basics (and dont cut corners by just doing 1 program, youll only cheat yourself) Start makeing a simple game, and i mean SIMPLE.

You want to create a world (a matrix, texture it, plcae a few models in it, raise a efw parts of the matrix to make hills etc) Then create a main character (could be a ball a cube or one of the free modles) then set about being able to control the character about the screen and if it bumps into another object it stops. The guys in here will help with problems.

Next up after that, add a few enemy objects that move about randomly in the world, simple to do and the gusy here will help.

Next up work out how to fire something (a ball a cube or a missle modle) when you press a certain key. Again help is always here.

Next up add in code for a score and add to that score each time your characters missile hits one of the randomly moveing enemys.

Then, add code to make the enemys randomly fire in the direction of your character, add a health code so you die if it reaches 0

Then add code so the enemys randomly start to actually CHASCE your character abnout the screen.

You see what your doing is creating somthing very lame, and then buildin on it, learning new techniques as you go, littl buy little. In the end you will understand how to program the basic code for just about every shooter there is.

Its not going to a be a great work of art, and o doubt anyone would want to play it, but its all your own work and you now know alot more.

Small steps, forget the great idea you have for a game cos you are never going to finish it as this moment. Build up somthign small, and in the end you can try a simple little game of your own makeing.

From then on you just learn as you go, but when you got the basics, the rest is elementry

Good luck

haXor
21
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Joined: 12th May 2003
Location: United States
Posted: 18th Jun 2003 23:32
wow that was a long post, i didnt read any but the first 2 sentances, but im sure it was good.

Sup Kids
claudio
21
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Joined: 1st Jun 2003
Location:
Posted: 19th Jun 2003 18:16
Thank you so much for the responses. They will be a great roadmap for me.

Shadow
22
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Joined: 17th Oct 2002
Location: In the shadows
Posted: 19th Jun 2003 19:20
I started by altering the DBC's example programs
Nilrem
21
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Joined: 27th Feb 2003
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 20th Jun 2003 01:46
<See Signature>

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
Witch Bomber
21
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Joined: 25th Jan 2003
Location: Scotland
Posted: 20th Jun 2003 02:19
I first started, before I got DB, by looking at the 20-line challenge to get an idea of what the syntax was like and running it on the trial version. Then I got DB and spent a few hours playing about with the tutorials and then I made a game out of the tutorials. Actually, it took me months to make a 2D game in DB. I first just loved the simplicity of the 3D commands. Then eventually I started working with 2D. Although if you haven't programmed before at all you might prefer to just work with 2D.

If you can't beat them, use a stick.

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